Eric Valente, JD, MBA, is an attorney and founding member of Valente Law, LLC. He studied business administrations and earned his MBA while attending law school at the University of Toledo. Eric began his career doing business litigation at J.W. Krueger & Associates, LLC, where he still maintains an office. Eric has always had a creative, entrepreneurial spirit, and estate planning and business counseling provides him with the opportunity to engage these interests while helping clients achieve their goals. Eric's focus areas are estate planning (Wills, Trusts, Healthcare Planning), Probate Administration and Business Law. Eric is a...

I am dual certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, and as a Specialist in Elder Law by the Ohio State Bar Association. I am one of twenty-three attorneys with this dual certification. I devote my practice to those issues uniquely affecting the elderly, the disabled and their families. Having been raised by a parent with early onset Parkinson's Disease, and having witnessed a grandparent spend over sixteen years in a nursing facility suffering from Alzheimer's, I gravitated early in my career towards the practice of elder and disability law. I established my Law...

As a Cleveland divorce attorney, Susan M. Weaver has over 30 years of experience in the Northeast Ohio county court systems. This experience, coupled with a prior career in social work has given Susan the insight and sensitivity to understand her client’s needs. Whether you are looking for a divorce attorney, a seasoned child custody advocate, or you simply need help with parenting, visitation and support issues, Susan has the expertise to help you. Divorce and custody battles are emotionally charged issues for everyone involved. Susan is a skilled advocate who can cut through the emotional fog and help you...

Erin C. Eurenius is delighted to help seniors, individuals with disabilities, and their families at Butcher Elder Law. Her passion for elder law stems from her personal experiences with her grandmother, Helen. Erin’s grandmother helped to raise her while living with the family. Around the age of 84, Helen was diagnosed with dementia and a few short years later suffered from a stroke. Erin watched the repercussions of not planning ahead for these devastating occurrences in life. Erin went to doctor’s visits and hospital calls at 3:00 A.M. and visited the nursing home. She saw the guardianship and Medicaid process...

Howard Rabb received a degree in Business Administration at The Ohio State University and was awarded his law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Rabb has been a contributor to various general circulation and legal trade publications and has served as a trustee to the Legal Aid Society in Cleveland. He is past chairman of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. and is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute. He serves on the Attorney Constituent Group for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Ohio, and is admitted to...

Erika provides estate planning counsel to families and assists families in various aspects of elder law, including long term care planning and Medicaid planning. Prior to founding Turk | Apelis, Erika gained valuable experience representing Fortune 500 companies. Erika has now translated that global experience into advocating for and counseling individuals and families in Northeast Ohio. Erika received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2005 and her J.D. from the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in 2009. She is an active member of the Latvian community, participating in various local and national...

Maria strongly believes that every couple and family, both traditional and non-traditional, deserve the same quality legal services and the same legal protections for themselves and their loved ones. Maria specializes in estate planning, probate administration, elder law and legal services for non-traditional families.

Anna emphasizes her practice in the areas of divorce, family law and estate planning. Anna is a founding member of The Cleveland Academy of Collaborative Professionals and a member of the Collaborative Practice Group of the Center for Principled Family Advocacy. Anna is also a certified family law mediator. Anna practices in the courts of Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake Counties.

Attended the Ohio State University receiving a B.A. in Political Science. Graduated with a J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law in 2003. Admitted to the Ohio Bar in 2003 and licensed in the... Read More »

Theresa N. Turk received her B.A. degrees from Ohio University in 2002 in Political Science and Economics. She received her J.D. degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in 2006. Ms. Turk is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Association of Specialists on Aging. Ms. Turk is also a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Lake County Bar Association, and the Geauga County Bar Association. Ms. Turk concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law, guardianships, and probate matters. Ms. Turk currently oversees the northeast...

Allison M. McMeechan received her Juris Doctor degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice Studies from the University of Dayton. Allison's practice areas focus on elder law, life care planning, long term care planning, and special needs planning. Allison has published articles and has spoken in the areas of probate, estate planning, government benefits, and special needs trusts. Her audiences include bar associations, non-profit organizations, and other professional organizations. Allison is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys National and Ohio Chapters, as well as the Ohio State Bar...

I work to provide great estate planning services to individuals all over the Northeast Ohio area. I live on the west side and can come to you if needed to draft wills, trusts, powers of attorney and any other estate planning instruments. I can also help with employment or worker's compensation issues. I am also experienced at drafting and reviewing contractual agreements. Additionally I have ADR experience and can help with arbitrations and mediations.

Providing comprehensive legal services to individuals and small businesses in the greater Cleveland area. Areas of practice include divorce and dissolution, small business, probate and estate planning, personal injury, and general civil law

John J. Ready is a Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law, a charter member of The Center for Principled Family Advocacy, a member of the Cuyahoga County Guardian Ad Litem Program, and a frequent lecturer on continuing legal education topics. John J. Ready & Associates is a result-oriented firm that understands the nature of the financial, emotional, and relationship issues that arise during, and after, the termination of the marriage and offers a variety of services, including mediation, collaborative divorce, parent coordination, arbitration, and litigation to achieve realistic and optimal goals for their clients. Mr. Ready is admitted...

Kyle Gee is a trusts and estates lawyer licensed to practice law in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. His primary focus includes estate planning, trusts & trust administration, probate & estate administration, representation of fiduciaries, and tax law & planning.
Mr. Gee, a Cleveland native, joined Spieth, Bell, McCurdy & Newell after clerking as an attorney advisor for the Judge of a Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court (Probate Court). During his two-year judicial clerkship, he closely assisted the Court in resolving a variety of matters, including: will contests, objections to fiduciary accounts, petitions to modify and terminate trusts, contested incapacity...

I am Attorney Margaret T. Karl. Clients usually call me Margie. In seeking the legal services of an attorney, people will consider any number of qualifications. Please allow me to share mine with you along with a little about myself. After graduating from Marietta College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, I completed my graduate studies at the University of Akron’s School of Law and received my Juris Doctor (also known as professional) degree. I live with my family in Olmsted Falls and maintain my practice in Berea, Ohio. While I provide a range of legal services,...

Founded in 1991, we have been engaged in the serious practice of bankruptcy and business law for nearly 20 years. With over 25 years of legal experience, Van Ness Law, Ltd. has the knowledge and compassion to insure you will get your fresh start with dignity.

Estate planning arranges for the transfer of an individual's estate at the time of death. An estate consists of all property owned at death before it is distributed by will, trust, or intestacy laws. An estate may contain both real property and personal property. Estate planning allows an individual to decide exactly who will benefit from his or her estate, and to what extent. It can also reduce the taxes imposed on the transfer of assets at death.

An experienced estate planning lawyer can help minimize the amount of the estate surrendered to taxes as well as ensure that the management and distribution of the estate is carried out according to your plans. Particularly when your plans are complex and/or you have substantial property or assets, it is important to have an attorney who can ensure that your plan functions the way you intend. Depending on the complexity of your individual situation, your estate planning team may include attorneys, financial planners, bankers and insurance professionals. Some states certify attorneys as estate planning specialists, which means they have met certain requirements for experience, education, and testing in that field.

Fiduciary:
A person or institution who manages money or property for another and who must exercise a standard care imposed by law, i.e., personal representative or executor of an estate, a trustee, etc.

Personal representative:
The person who administers an estate. If named in a will, that person's title is an executor. If there is no valid will, that person's title is an administrator.